IWitness: An Introduction to Holocaust and Genocide Testimonies

[Brandon Barr]

Your Name and Title:

Brandon Barr- IWitness Regional Consultant; Middle School ELA teacher Nightingale Elementary

School or Organization Name:

USC Shoah Foundation – The Institute for Visual History and Education
University of Southern California
 650 West 35th Street, Ste. 114
Los Angeles, California 90089-2571

Co-Presenter Name(s): n/a

Area of the World from Which You Will Present:

Chicago

Language in Which You Will Present:

English

Target Audience(s):

Middle and High School ELA and History teachers

Short Session Description (one line):

Participants will learn about IWitness as a resource to teach about the Holocaust and other genocides.

Full Session Description:

This presentation focuses on teaching with testimony using the USC Shoah Foundation's Visual History Archive of testimonies of survivors and other witnesses of the Holocaust. As a primary source, testimony serves as a powerful tool for teaching and learning across subject areas, including: history, English, psychology, and Holocaust/genocide studies. This session will provide participants with a brief overview of the methodology of teaching with testimony and the flagship, freely available educational website, IWitness (iwitness.usc.edu). Participants will be able to experience powerful multimedia activities during the session, rounded out with a discussion of curricular integration.